Italian Salad entered my life in a rather unexpected way – I came across it in an old cookbook I had borrowed from a colleague at work, someone who had spent a few years living in London and come back with a stack of dog-eared recipe books.
She had bookmarked this page with a yellow sticky note that just said “summer lunch, dead simple.” I made it that same weekend, mostly out of curiosity, and I have been making it ever since. What stays with me is the buffalo mozzarella – the way it sits soft and cool against the firmer pasta, and the way the balsamic dressing settles into all the little shell-shaped hollows. I always toast the pine kernels in a dry pan on low heat, watching them go from pale to golden in about two minutes, because they catch fast and I have burned a batch or two before learning that lesson.
About the Recipe
On a weeknight when you do not want to cook anything that requires standing over a hot stove, this recipe is a reasonable answer. The pasta takes about ten minutes, and while it cooks, everything else can be prepped – the onion chopped, the pepper cut into chunks, the mozzarella sliced. Most of the ingredients are available at a good supermarket or a deli section. I reach for this one on summer afternoons when I want something that comes together without much fuss and can sit on the counter for a bit without spoiling before everyone sits down.
Why you will love this recipe
The combination of cold pasta, creamy mozzarella, and a sharp balsamic dressing works because each ingredient brings something textural and distinct. The pine kernels add a dry, nutty crunch against the soft cheese, and the cherry tomatoes – halved, so they bleed just a little into the dressing – keep things bright. Because you rinse the pasta in cold water after cooking, the shells stay firm rather than clumping.
The dressing itself takes under two minutes to put together in a small bowl, and since you spoon it over at the last moment, nothing goes limp while you are waiting. That timing also means you can prep everything else well in advance.
Cooking Tips
The most common mistake is overdressing the pasta ahead of time – the shells absorb the oil quickly and end up heavy and flat. Always add the dressing right before serving. A second thing to watch: do not walk away from the pine kernels. Even on low heat in a dry frying pan, they go from pale to burned in under a minute once they start colouring.
Stay close and shake the pan every thirty seconds or so. Finally, make sure the pasta is fully dry before you assemble – watery pasta dilutes the dressing immediately.
Top Tips
- Conchiglie shells are worth using here specifically because the hollow shape traps the dressing inside each piece, which means every mouthful has flavour.
- If buffalo mozzarella is not available, regular fresh mozzarella works, but dry it well on kitchen paper first so it does not release too much liquid into the bowl.
- The dressing can be made up to a few hours ahead and kept covered on the counter – keep it at room temperature rather than refrigerating, because cold olive oil thickens and does not coat the pasta evenly.
- Red onion can be quite sharp raw. If you find it too pungent, soak the chopped pieces in cold water for ten minutes and drain before adding.
- This recipe serves four comfortably as a side and closer to two as a main. Scale the pasta quantity up if serving as the central dish.
Serving and Storing Suggestions
This recipe serves four as a side or two as a main meal. Prep time including boiling the pasta is about 25 to 30 minutes. Serve the salad at room temperature with crusty bread on the side. If you have leftovers, store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one day – the mozzarella softens a little overnight but the pasta holds. I would not make this more than a few hours in advance because the basil leaves bruise and darken once dressed.
Similar Recipes
- Caprese Salad
- Greek Pasta Salad
- Panzanella (Tuscan Bread Salad)
- Roasted Vegetable Pasta Salad
- Nicoise Salad
Nutrient Benefits
Buffalo mozzarella and parmesan both contribute calcium and protein, which makes this more than just a carbohydrate-heavy bowl. The extra virgin olive oil in the dressing provides unsaturated fat. Cherry tomatoes add vitamin C, and the fresh basil – used in both the dressing and scattered over the top – brings a small amount of vitamin K. Pine kernels, even in a 50 gramme quantity, add iron and healthy fats that round out a meal that might otherwise feel light.
Italian Salad
Ingredients
- 225 gms Dried Conchiglie (Pasta Shells)
- 50 gms Pine Kernels
- 350 gms Cherry Tomatoes (halved)
- 1 Red Pepper (deseeded and cut into bite-sized chunks)
- 1 Red Onion (chopped)
- 200 gms Buffalo Mozzarella (cut into small pieces)
- 12 Black Olives (stoned)
- 25 gms Fresh Basil Leaves
- Fresh Parmesan Cheese (to garnish)
- Crusty Bread to serve
For the Dressing:
- 5 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 2 tbsp Balsamic Vinegar
- 1 tbsp Fresh Basil (chopped)
- Salt and Pepper
Instructions
- Bring a large saucepan of lightly salted water to the boil.
- Add the pasta and cook over medium for about 10 minutes or according to the packet instructions.
- When cooked the pasta should be tender but still firm to the bite.
- Drain and rinse under cold running water and drain again.
- Leave to cool.
- While the pasta is cooking, put the pine kernels in a dry frying pan and cook over low heat for a minute or two until golden brown.
- Remove from the heat, transfer to a dish and leave to cool.
- To make the dressing, put the oil, vinegar and basil into a small bowl.
- Season with salt and pepper and stir together well.
- Cover with clingfilm and set to one side.
- To serve, divide the pasta between serving bowls.
- Add the pine kernels, tomatoes, red pepper, onion, cheese and olives.
- Scatter over the basil leaves, then drizzle over the dressing.
- Garnish with fresh parmesan cheese shavings.
- Serve with crusty bread.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use a different pasta shape if I cannot find conchiglie?
Yes, but choose a shape with some texture or a hollow – penne, fusilli, or farfalle all work reasonably well. Avoid spaghetti or flat pasta because the dressing slides off and the whole thing turns slippery.
My salad tasted bland even though I followed the dressing amounts. What went wrong?
Balsamic vinegar varies quite a bit between brands – some are much milder than others. Taste your dressing before you add it to the bowl and adjust with a pinch more salt or an extra half tablespoon of vinegar if it needs sharpness. Also check that your pasta was salted during cooking, because under-salted pasta dulls everything else.
The mozzarella released a lot of water into the bowl. How do I stop that?
Pat the mozzarella pieces dry with kitchen paper before adding them. Buffalo mozzarella is stored in liquid and holds quite a bit of it, so drying it takes just a minute but makes a real difference to the final texture of the salad.
Can I make this the night before?
I would not. The basil turns black, the mozzarella goes rubbery, and the pasta absorbs the dressing and turns soft. You can prep all the components separately the evening before and keep them covered in the fridge, then assemble and dress it just before serving.
Is there a substitute for pine kernels since they are expensive?
Toasted sunflower seeds or roughly chopped toasted cashews both work. They give a similar crunch, though the flavour is slightly different. Toast them the same way – dry pan, low heat, and keep watching.
